Pumping mechanism for vacuum-cleaners.



R. B. HUTCHISON. PUMPING MBGHANISM FOR VACUUM CLEANERS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

1,067,G30. Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT l.

FIC-2 1- WITN ESSESI R. B. HUTCHISON. PUMPING MBGHANISM POR VACUUM CLEANERS. APPLICATION FILED JUNB24,1912.

1,067,030. Patented July 8,1913.

WITNESSES um .mlm HAMMAM/wn Lu., wAMnmmm. n. c. l

ROBERT B. HUTCHISON, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUIVIPING MECHANISIVI FOR VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, I 91 Si.

Application filed June 24, 1912. Serial No. 705,488.

To all whom it may concern lle it known that l, llonnn'r ll. llu'lcnisox, a citizen ot the United States, residing at lltilkinslun'g, in the county ot Allegheny and State oit llennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Vlmprovementis in Pumping Mechanism ilj'or Vaciuuu-tilleaners, ot which the it'ollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in vacuum cleaners.

lt consists oit a portable apparatus operable by traction and comprises a hollow cylindrical body or barrel having at its lorward end a suction nozzle, at its rear end a pair of supporting wheels and a crank sha lt, a plunger chamber between transverse partition walls, a hollow Valved plunger and plunger rod extending rearwardly through the rear partition controlling the circulation o't induced air currents in operative conneo tion with said crank shaft, a removable dust bag, and an operating handle, together with other 'features of detail construction and improvement as shall be more fully hereinat'ter described.

ln the drawings-Figure l is a view oit the device in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view ol. the device. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the plunger mechanism in reversed position. Fig. tis a plan view of the device, partly in section. `Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view oit' the device on the line V. V. of llig. 2. Fig. (5 is a cross section on the line Vl. Vl.

' oit' Fig. 3.

The body portion ot the cleaner consists ot' a cylindrical barrel portion or case .2 o'l sheet metal provided at or about its middle with a transverse stationary head 8 .tixedly secured to the shell or barrel 2 by screws -l, or otherwise, the device being provided with an operatingl handle 5 o't any desired length having the bilureated or forked extremity consisting ot the sides (3. The terminals ot these sides are pivotally connected at about the middle portion oil the apparatus by the screws or studs il which extend through the shell or into any suitable attached bearing reinforcements.

The rear portion oli' the machine is mounted upon wheels 7, 7, t-he perii'iheries ot which are preferably provided with rubber tires, or otherwise formed to provide Yfor good traction upon the surface of thel lloor. The wheels 7 are iXedly attached by their hubs to the outer ends out.' crankshaft 8 having a middle crank portion t). The rear end oit the cylinderl '1) is closed by a cap l() ol sheet metal tightly tilting around the end oit the main case to which are ixcdly connected the bearings Aor shat't H in the same manner as that shown in my prior application, l'ilcd April lo, 1h12, tier. No. (380780. lhe rear side portions ol' thc shell i2 are slotted, as indicated at l, t'or clearance o't the bearings so that when the cap is inserted in position, the bearings are lixedly located and the parts a re connected in operative relation. The cap l() is sceured upon the rear end oil shell .l by means olf bolts and nuts jill, openings 'l5 being provided through the cap for the double purpose oli' providing il'or air eirculation and lor manipulation ot the bolts and nuts in connecting these parts.

At the 'l'ront end olE the casing 2, ,li provide a removablehead lt having at its lower portion a nozzle terlninal 1,7 longitmlinally slotted across its middle portion, as indicated at 1S, ol ample width to cover the desired lloor arca, and communicating with the interior ot the case by an upwardly and inwardly disposed circulating' passage 1t). The head litt is preferably provided around its inner edge willi a packing ring 20 oil any suitable n'iaterial set .in an annular receiving groove and is tightly clamped against the end ol. the case by securing screws Q'l. having .linger terminals, as shown, said screws extemling through slotted ears Q2 projecting outwardly at cach side ot head ltj and threaded into suitable receiving lugs 23. lly this construction, upon loosening the screws 2l.. the head lo may be slightly rotated or released tor access into the interior, and as readily replaced.

inwardly beyond the outer end oli the case 2 is a transverse. imperlorate partition 2T. soldered or otherwise secured to thc case, between which and the outer end o'lE the case is provided a sullicient` receptacle #l0 'lor the dust collecting bag 2S. Said bag is mounted upon a circular lframe 2S) which bears inwardly against an inner annular shoulder ii() making a sutlciently tight [it with the interior ol.' the casing to prevent the passage ot dust. The trame Qt) is provided with a transverse bar 3l4 by which it may be readily graspeifl `l'or removal or insertion.

lhe transvtwse partition 3, which may be ol wood. is preferably ot: suitable thickness to provide a substantial stationary supporting trame for a reeiprocaljile hollow plunger stem 32, upon the forward end of which in the suction chamber a is iXedly secured or connected the reciprocable hollow head 33. Said head is reciprocably `actuated within the suction compartment a between partitions 3 and 27. The suction chamber a communicates by ports 37 and 38 at each end, and on each side of the reciprocable head 33, with a conduit 39, through ports 34 and 35, respectively, controlled by flap valves 36, 3G. Port 39 leads from the inner side ofeach of said flap valves, through a supplemental conduit 39 to the dust chamber 40 at the other side-of partition 27.

VLThehollow head 33 is providedat front and back with inwardly opening ports 41, 42, respectively, controlled by flap valves 43, 44, respectively, and the head is also provided with an annular recess 45 in which is loosely ,mounted a resilient packingring 46 of rubber or other suitable material.

The rear end of hollow plunger 32 is connected in any suitable manner, as by a clevis 48 of sheet metal orother suitable material and a two-part link 49, with the Crank 9. Link .49 may be of hard wood in halves secured together by screws or bolts 50 embracing the crank `9 and a pin 51 extending through each side of the clevis 48.

`For the purpose of maintaining plunger 32 in alinement centrally through the head 3, I provide, at each side of the head surrounding` the plunger, series of ballor roller bearings 52, 52, -mounted within surrounding bushing rings 53, and retained by cover plates 54, 54. The middle portion of the head 3 snugly embraces the plunger 32 withoutany unnecessary binding, by which construction a practically air-tight lit is se cured.

Due to the ample thickness of head 3 and the alining action of bearing 52, the plunger 32 is retained centrally in position at all times, `independent of any lateral thrust due to itsconnection with the actuating crank 9.

The operationof the device lwill be readily understood from .the foregoing description. The weight of the case 3 and its contents, by the pivotal mounting upon the supporting crank shaft, causes the nozzle to remain in close operative position over the floor surface. By 4merely manipulating the machine to and fro by its handle the suction plunger 33 is operated back and forth land effects a strong suctionat one side and the other in chamber a, in each direction, the valves 3G, 36 loperating alternately and effecting a continuous flow through conduit 39 from the dust chamber 40, the dust being arrested lin the bag 28 and the incomingair escaping finally backwardly through hollow plunger 32 -and openings 15.

The device is very easily manipulated; it

is vsimple vand compact `in construction, .and

suiciently low to be passed under beds `or vnected crank shaft at one end and a suction opening at the other end, a transverse head within'the casing havinga central plunger stem bearing opening, a transverse partition within the casing between said headand the suction opening providing a suction compartment, a conduit communicating with the suctio-nopening and having valve controlled connections to each end of the suctioncompartment, and a hollow valved plunger head reciprocably mounted in the suction compartment.having a hollow .plunger stem extending through said transverse head and connected with the cank shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. 1n a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination of a ,portable cylindrical casing having supporting wheels and a connected crank shaft at one end and air receivingchamber :provided with a suction opening at the other end, a transverse head within the casing having a-central plunger stem bearing opening, a transverse parti tion within the casing between said head and the air receiving chamber providing a suction compartment, a conduit communicating with the air receivingchamber and having valve controlled connections to each end of the suction compartment, and a 'hollow valved plunger head reciprocably mounted in the suction compartment yhaving a hollow plunger stem extending through said transverse head 'and connected with `the crank shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination of a portable cylindrical casing having supporting wheels and a conT nected crank shaft at one end and a removable head having a suction opening at the other end, a transverse head within the casing having a central plunger stem bearing opening, a transverse partition within .the casing Vbetween said head and the suction opening providing a suction vcompartment, a conduit communicating with the suction opening and .having valve 'controlled connections to-each end of the suction compart ment,and a hollow valved plunger' head reciprocably vmounted .in the suctioncompartment having a hollow plunger stemeXtending through said transverse head and connected with the crank shaft, substantially as set forth. Y

4. 1n azvacuum `cleaning apparatus, the combination of a portable cylindrical casing hav-ing supporting -wheels and a vconnectedcrank shaft -at one endand a removable head having a suction opening, a packing ring, and securing devices at the other end, a transverse head within the easing having a central plunger stem hearing opening, a transverse partition within the casiiig between said head and the suction opening providing a suction compartment, a conduit cominunicating with the suction opening and having valve controlled connections to each end of the suction compartment, and a hollow valved plunger head reciproeably mounted in the suction compartment having a hollow plungerl Stem extending through Said transverse head and connected withthe crank shatt, sul'istantially as set torth.

5. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination of a portable cylindrical easing having supporting wheels and a connected crank shat't at one end and a suction opening at the other end, a transverse head withjin the casing having a central plunger stem bearing opening provided with ball bearings, a transverse partition within the casing between said head and the suction open- .ing providing a suction compartment, a conduit communicating with the suction opening and having valve controlled connections to each end o' the suction compartment, and a hollow valved plunger head reciprocably mounted in the suction compartment having a hollow plunger stem extending through said transverse head and connected withthe crank shat't, substantially as set toi-th.

(i. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus, the combination oit' a portable cylindrical easing having supporting wheels and a connected crank shait at one end and a suction opening at the other end, a transverse head \vitl1- in the casing having a central plunger stem bearing opening, a t ansversc partition within the easing between said head and the suction opening providing a suction compartment, a conduit communicating with the suc-tion opening and having valve controlled ctmneetions to each end oit the suction compartment, a hollow 'valved plunger head reciprocably .mounted in the suction compartment having a hollow plunger stem extending through said transverse head and connected with the crank shaft, and a bifurcated manipulating handle pivotally eonnected with the casing at each side ot itsl middle portion, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence oit two witnesses.

ROBERT l. llU'lClIlSODT. lVitnesses C. M. Cnankn, Fncmi. S'rann.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

